February 03, 2018 - Msg 109148:
Good morning, porch! Well, as we used to say back in the day - "and the beat goes on." Tillie is still not well. The new catalytic converter is installed, and the "check engine soon" light is still on, and it still shifts rough. Grrrrr. The cat converter cost me about $400, and the shop installed it for just $150, so that was better than I'd expected, but the car isn't fixed. It does seem a wee tad better, not quite so rough on the shift, but that dratted light is still on. It seems that everything we've done has helped it a little, but nothing has fixed it. David got on the phone with my son-in-law, Richard, who very definitely "knows cars", and he agrees that the problem is not in the transmission itself. If it was, then the other things we've been doing wouldn't have made any improvement, and there most certainly is some. Richard thinks it's an electrical problem and I think he's right.

I took it to an Auto Zone and had them plug in and get a diagnostic on it. It said the Torque Converter Clutch Solenoid, which controls fluid flow into and throughout the transmission, reports there has been "unexpected" voltage on that part - could be low or high voltage. So I took it over to Jerry (Eloise's husband) and he put a volt meter-thingy on the alternator and had me turn the a/c on and off, rev the motor, turn the headlights on and off, and sure enough. When there's enough load, the alternator loses production and the voltage dropped as low as 9. Apparently that's not good, too low. So that Torque Control thing may be malfunctioning as a result. We're going to replace the alternator. Then, we may see about replacing the Torque Control thing. I actually bought the part while I was in Auto Zone. It's a $40 part. The problem is, it will take about 4 hours to replace - translation: $400. My car is costly enough to repair - I can't imagine what has happened in the last 14 years. I remember when my dad did all his own car repairs, and his toolbox held a hammer, a few wrenches and screw drivers and a roll of electrical tape. He could fix anything. Nowadays, you need several thousand dollars worth of tools, a computer and a college degree to repair a car. Good grief.

So, that's where we are with Tillie So far, I've spent $1100 on things that definitely needed to be done (motor mounts) but had nothing to do with the current problem, and the vacuum modulator, which was contributing to the problem. I've spent another $550 on something that may or may not have needed to be done (the cat converter), but I'm not sorry I did it. It should now last the life of the car, and it did seem to help a little. The car still shifts rough, but a little softer than it was. Actually, the shifting is not all that bad now, though it doesn't feel like a Cadillac, but the problem is, that dratted light won't go off, and I can't get it inspected and licensed. It really seems like a lot of expense here, all at once, but then I remember that I've driven the car for the last twelve years (it was two years old when I bought it) and this is the very first time I've had to do any major repairs. Up until now, the most expensive thing was replacing the motor on one of the windows, and replacing the battery now and then. So far, with this problem, I've spent the equivalent of about three, maybe four car payments. That still beats being obligated for $400 to $600 a month for the next five years. So - wish me luck. I have an appointment on Monday with David's mechanic to replace that alternator.

Blessings, friends, and prayers for all those who are still ailing. Flu - go away! --Romeena February 03, 2018 - Msg 109149:
Asa, Just a question..Were those lines steel lines?..If so you may want to check out “cathodic protection” for them. I once had a development where the gas lines were being devastated by corrosion and we had constant leaks that had to be dug up and repaired. Once the commitment was made and we had the anodes installed ...Poof!...The problem went away.

I know what ya mean by a skilled backhoe operator, the guy we got was amazing a skilled surgeon at his craft. There were many gas, water, sewer lines in close proximity so he REALLY had to watch, we KNOW the blueprints aren’t accurate...10-4?

Just a thought Buddy, the hard part is selling the concept to the bean counters as we well know....Amen?

G-FFebruary 03, 2018 - Msg 109150:
Romeena, sorry to hear about Tillie. I know how it is a pain in the neck to have car problems.
G-F, in my area the gas company will come free and mark your property with spray paint showing where the gas and water lines are. They have these special hand meters they scan the area.
Everyone have a nice weekend.
FrankieFebruary 03, 2018 - Msg 109151:
Nice sweep Romeena!
FrankieFebruary 03, 2018 - Msg 109152:Romeena, if replacing the alternator does not fix the problem, check out https://tinyurl.com/ydh4ue63 for more ideas.
And if all that fails, you can remove the bulb/LED for the check engine light until you renew your registration and license plate (just kidding of course).

from Poor HoratioFebruary 03, 2018 - Msg 109153:
HI ALL! We are back and we are bushed, but we also had a grand time at 'the happiest place on earth!"
(And you know me, church is the happiest, but Disneyland is a
close second! ha)
Well, have a good Sabbath. I'll fill ya all in later.
MDCFebruary 04, 2018 - Msg 109154:
Good to see ya back MDC and glad to hear you had a nice time in disneyland.
FrankieFebruary 04, 2018 - Msg 109155:
Sounds like MDC & the Mrs. are “Beat to the Socks” as Andy would say, just don’t pull a Gomer during preachin’.

For those of you who don’t care much about the Super Bowl, the Sundance Channel is having The Best of Barney Marathon ALL DAY starting at 11:00ET till 4:30am

It’s snowing big time here, so it’s Wheelertime for me, “Joe” and I will get out there in it later after it’s done...

G-FFebruary 04, 2018 - Msg 109156:
After Church lunch: Southern Fried Chicken,mashed taters,fried okra,corn on the cob,crowder peas,tater salad,cornbread,apple pie and sweet tea and green onions...ready at 14:00 hours ..Prayers SPOTFebruary 04, 2018 - Msg 109157:
Good Sabbath all.
I had to teach in our Mens Group in Church this morning, but it went pretty good I think. Had a lot of discussion and thoughts flowing. All I had to do was kind of lead it along.

Well I got a call from my Boss last night. Apparently the contractor came in and back filled the hole, had just barely finished and water came pouring up again. So he got it shut off and dug it up again, thinking his patch had failed, but it wasn't there. Another blow out about 10' away occurred. So now there is a mad scramble with corporate to what they are going to do. The contractor is assuring them that this is going to be an ongoing problem with the age and condition of the pipe. So the next few weeks could be interesting. GF, To answer your question, it is steel pipe, but I think it may be too late for the protection you mentioned. What a mess.

Romeena, I am sorry the converter replacement didn't fix the issue. But it sounds like you are taking the right approach. A number of years ago we had a car that probably had the first generation of on board computers. It started having problems with not starting sometimes. It never died on us, but say for example, if you stopped at the store, sometimes when you came out to leave the thing would not start. Crank on it all day, but not even try to start. But you could come back a few hours later and it would fire right up. We took it to several well respected mechanics who could not find the issue. Finally I took it to the dealer. He had it for less than two hours and called to tell me it was fixed and come get it. I was certain he only thought he had fixed it. He told me they put it on their diagnostic computer and found a corroded ground wire. Had cleaned it, reattached, charged me $68.00 and I drove it home. I was certain I would be back, and I was, about two months later, to thank them for the fix. It never gave us any problems after that. So just a thought.

PH, lol I always wondered why can't they just build the car as well as they make those stupid check engine lights. Those things never burn out.

Sounds like a good spread Spot. I'm in.

GF, Thanks for the heads up on the Sundance marathon. I have been watching it. You gonna buy one of them microwave reheating things they are peddling? lol

Frankie, Did you get that lawn all mowed?

Welcome back home MDC. I see your golf tournament is on. I watched some of it yesterday. I declare, that crowd at #16 gets a little wilder each year.

Well I better get some snacks set up for the family. They will be here after 4:00.

Prayers for all.

Asa February 04, 2018 - Msg 109158:
Good afternoon, porch. PH, believe me, I've considered loosening that little "check engine" light! The "rough shifting" probably would make some people laugh. Like my yard man friend, Eddie, said - "Miz Lanni, I'm just happy if my old truck shifts at all!" It's rough to me because I'm not used to it, Tillie just doesn't do that. Driving that car, you normally feel nothing but smooth power. The original hard shifting was another matter - it was really rough, felt like I'd run over something in the road, but each of the little "fixes" we've done have improved it some, and now it's just a little light "thump" when it shifts, and it almost never shifts out of time. Almost. Sometimes it does, and that light stays on, so I know there's still something wrong.

I'm determined, however. It will be fixed! I'm leaving here about 7:30 in the morning, to take it to David's mechanic. I'm taking a good book and packing a lunch, because I'll have to just stay there at the shop with it. It's out in the boonies north of Ft. Worth, too far to Uber back home. It's not far from David and Brittney's house, but Hudson is down with the flu - again - and I'm not going to risk catching it. So, with my phone, a book, and the TV in the shop's lobby, I'll be fine. It's a nice, clean shop, and the owner/boss is David's friend, a very nice guy.

I just saved myself $20 a month, by calling Dish Network and asking about changing my programming package. I was getting some things I never watched, and missing a couple that I wanted (like Sundance) and a very nice young man spent about half an hour on the phone with me. I ended up with a package that's $20 cheaper, and meets my needs much better. I lost two channels that I did have on my favorites list, but they were channels that I never watched and don't know why I had them in the list, and I gained three that I had wanted but didn't have. You know, sometimes it just pays to ask.

Asa, sounds to me like the powers-that-be need to get off the dime, order the major fix that needs to be done, and get it over with. Otherwise, you're going to be chasing leaks until the cows come home. Is there any way that a PVC pipe can be slid inside the existing pipe, or would that reduce the lumen of the pipeline too much? Obviously, I have very little idea of what I'm talking about, but just wondering.

Well, guess I'll go scare up something for dinner. I've got some leftover beef stew, it was delicious and I'm sure it still is. I think I'll just finish it off. I've got one avocado and a bag of red grapefruit, so I can section out a grapefruit or two, dice that avocado into it, add a dash of sea salt, and yum! Good nearly-bedtime dessert for later. Blessings, friends!February 04, 2018 - Msg 109159:
Hudson has the flu again?! Poor kid. Hope he is well soon and glad you aren't going to risk getting sick again, Romeena.

I worked again today but will be off for four days. Yay! Lots to do to get ready for our trip on Tuesday, though. I have to wash clothes and pack, etc. It will be nice to get away for a couple of days, even if it is for a memorial service. Bruce's Uncle Pete lived a good, long life and was ready to go. He knew the Lord and was ready to see him, so we can celebrate his life now and try to be there for his family. I know his wife will be really having a tough time of it, bless her. I know there is nothing we can say to bring her any comfort but we will be there to show we care and just let her know we love her. Pete's wife, Adele, grew up the daughter of a missionary to the Navaho Indians. When we saw her last she was telling us about growing up on the reservation. Interesting life.

Wanted to mention that sister in law is doing much better than expected. She is doing all the follow up she needs to do and going to physical therapy. Today she said she got out and took herself to the store for the first time and had to use the little store scooter, but it was a big step for her. She said when she was in line she had the opportunity to share her testimony of how God saved her life. So, God is using her...I pray things continue to go in the right direction for her.

I was all set to go sit on the porch swing for a bit after my nap and the mosquito sprayer went down our street and the stench! Wow...nevermind. It is a nice warm day here and the mosquitos are out in droves.

I am not a football watcher so not watching the superbowl. Have fun, those who are.

BooFebruary 05, 2018 - Msg 109160:
We really enjoyed watching the football game today. I won a bet with my brother, chicken for lunch when he comes down here on his next visit.
Asa, I did get the back yard lawn mowed before the big game today. I am feeling it now in my knee`s. But glad I got it done. With this nice weather the grass is really growing fast. The bermuda grass in the front is just starting to green up. We usually do not have this warm of weather in the beginning of february. But I am really loving the nice weather.
Frankie February 05, 2018 - Msg 109161:
ASA--Just a thought, I saw on "This Old House" a while back about a 'membrane' that can be inserted in failing pipes like that, and it really makes them almost "as good as new."
Watch this 5 minute video and you may be in good with your boss!!
MDCFebruary 05, 2018 - Msg 109162:
OOps, here is the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFIcRlAOFw0February 05, 2018 - Msg 109163:
Thanks MDC. Interesting process that would work on a sewer drain, but not on a supply line I am guessing. But thanks for the link. The good news is corporate decided they best get it fixed right. So work has begun. Most of this is under concrete so there is going to be a lot of saw cutting. About 800' of cutting on both sides of the trench. I might invest in them industrial mason saw blades and see if I can make up what I lost in the market today. :) I'm just glad I am only trying to coordinate this circus.

Boo, Glad your SIL is doing well and showing others what it is all about. Good for her. The Lord can do miracles when we act like we got some smarts. :)

I didn't really care who won the "big game", and I have not watched hardly any NFL games this year, but I figured the Patriots would win big. HA! Good thing I ain't a betting man and invest in the market instead. Hmmm, maybe I better look for a rare coin to buy.

GF, Yessir, one of them there nickels would be good. And then to diversify I might look into buying in to a recording business. Then when I am sitting on easy street I won't have to concern myself with holes in water lines, or temperamental heat pumps, or converting High Pressure Sodium lights over to LED.

Mercy sakes we are supposed to be pushing 60 here the rest of the week. It sure has been a mild winter.

Well better get back to work. Blue Stakes have marked all they can. But we have a ton of stuff underground that they won't know about. And I can only guess on. Our wonderful "as builts" are a joke. Amen GF?

Asa February 06, 2018 - Msg 109167:
Amen Asa...As draw, as build, as revised...They are all the same...A Big Guessing game....In our world Buddy we call them “As Hoped”...Just prayin they didn’t hire Newton Monroe to do the digging....lol....Hope for the Best, Pray for the worst not to happen...10-4?

Just a quick story at my former work they had to shut down a 11 story 88 unit Elderly Hi-Rise and put up all the residents into motels because of fire and safety violations!...Guess the “Newbies” weren’t keeping up with the inspections/testing that is required!

We tried to tell’em didn’t we Asa...THAT is what happens when no one cares about their jobs anymore...Amen? SHAMEFUL

G-FFebruary 06, 2018 - Msg 109168:https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MRRYg6FFms4 A good retirement gig Asa...February 06, 2018 - Msg 109169:
Yet another use for WD-40 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sdwiYWh0a8MFebruary 07, 2018 - Msg 109170:
HI ALL. Hope everyone is doing well. Prayers for Boo and Bruce as they travel. Our Disneyland trip was fun, but several of the rides and attractions were closed for maintenance, but we stilled paid full price for tickets! I emailed Disneyland when we got home. But it was a fun get-away, and a chance to do something together as my CHF advances. I am trying to live life as fully as I can!
I watched about the last 10 minutes of the big game. Not really that interested in either team this year. Glad Frankie had a good look-see however.
GF--did you look at that pipe-lining video by any chance? I thik it is really interesting, but i can also understand what ASA is saying about perhaps not on a supply line.
Today i had my st. augustine lawn 'dethached.'
I have to do it about every 3 years. I used to do it myself, but those days are long gone now.
They did a really good job.
Our weather has been 78-80 for several days now.
RO--I sure hope your Caddy starts acting like somebody real soon!
Prayers,
MDCFebruary 07, 2018 - Msg 109171:
Yes MDC I did watch that video, pretty nifty!...but as Asa said I think that is for sewer pipes. Puts a whole new meaning to the term..”Put a sock it it”....lol

Well ANOTHER beautiful day in the neighborhood 7” of snow falling, but “Joe” and I will wait a couple more hours and let it finish before we get out there in it.. Looks like it missed our TOM I think he’s getting the rain instead...

Yep, It’s a FUN Day in Goob’s Neighborhood......February 07, 2018 - Msg 109172:
Happy Wednesday to all. Its has been pouring rain all morning on my end of the porch. was a hard steady rain as I drove to work. The temperature is not too bad tho so guess its all good.

Prayers and blessings
Big MaudeFebruary 07, 2018 - Msg 109173:
Thanks for Lunch Maude..perfect...I will get breakfast in the morning..Menu:Eggs yer way ( boiled,fried,scrambled,poached)..sausage(links or pattys)bacon (limp for Romeena) some crisp..bisquits and gravy,toast,grape jam,grits,hashbrowns,Oj ahd coffee...prayers..SPOTFebruary 07, 2018 - Msg 109174:
Boo, prayers for a safe trip and everyone feels better soon from the flu.
My sister had the flu about three weeks ago and now it sounds like she may be getting it again. She lives in another state and I worry about her since she has had heart issues.
Big Maude, that looks like a delicious menu.
MDC, glad to hear you had a good time and nice to see ya back.
GF, That sounds scary how they had to shut down the 11 story unit. They must of really broke some code violations there. Hope they get everything corrected so the people can move back in.
We had another lovely day and I had some time to take a quick bike ride. You all take care.
Frankie February 07, 2018 - Msg 109175:
Today I had our ash tree in the backyard trimmed back a bit before it starts to bud. With our temps in the
low 80s, that could happen soon. I think that's about it for yard work for now.
Frankie, I have a stationary bike. I pedal and pedal, but the scenery nver changes! ha
On ME-TV tonight was the Guest of Honor ep. I love the line where Floyd comes in and says, "All is well in Mayberry." Cracks me up every time.
BIG Maude, we could sure use some of that rain here!! Please send it west! Thanks :)
God's blessings on all,
MDCFebruary 08, 2018 - Msg 109176:Romeena, I replied to your email request but it got returned as undeliverable. But the answers you seek are:
May 30, 2004 - Msg 21537
June 18, 2004 - Msg 21834
May 19, 2004 - Msg 21431
May 10, 2004 - Msg 21314
April 13, 2015 - Msg 101153

from Poor HoratioFebruary 08, 2018 - Msg 109177:
Hello Front Porch: I watched tags last night and I thought I would make a top 10 favorite list for myself. There are just so many good ones. It was a Barney one which features THREE and CLEPTOMINERAC. Floyd was at his best also. I have to get back to Raleigh. I just thought I would stop by and say hello. I have 6 horses up there. I mean chairs. If Romeena needs a car I have one for sale that was only driven to preaching on Sundays. Medwin Bill MedwinFebruary 08, 2018 - Msg 109178:
Hello again Porch: Forget my top 10 episode list. I easily came up with 16 off the top of my head. I know there are a few more. I don't know the official names or episode numbers but I think you will agree it is a decent list. THREE CLEPTOMINERAC-DOGS DOGS DOGS-HOWARD THE BOWLER-HOWARD IN THE CARRIBEAN-OPIE AND THE BIRDS-PARNELL RIGSBY-GOMER AND THE CONTINENTAL(opie ironing board)- GOMER LOSES HIS JOB-ELLI NEW DOCTOR-CAR IN THE COURTHOUSE-SANTA LUCIA-JIM LINDSEY-BARNEYS CAVE RESCUE-CHRISTMAS ONE(bench)-MALCOLM MERRIWEATHER(trick with newspaper)-GOLD TRUCK-and just thought of three more while writing this list. HOWARD THE COMEDIAN-GOOBER AT THE AUTO SHOW-and COLONEL HARV. What a great tv series. Have a good day. Medwin Bill MedwinFebruary 08, 2018 - Msg 109179:
BILL--that is a pretty darn good list. I like every one of those eps!! Well, back to making ships in a bottle. Ha All is well in Mayberry. :)
MDCFebruary 08, 2018 - Msg 109180:
Thank you MDC. I respect your opinion as a senior member of the porch. BILLFebruary 08, 2018 - Msg 109181:
Just starting smiling. Anyone want to buy a ship in a bottle? For a few years I have been wanting to move to Belize. But this episode is always in the back of my head that keeps from moving permanently. February 08, 2018 - Msg 109182:
Oops. That's me above. Bill

February 08, 2018 - Msg 109187:
Well, after all the aggravation and indecision, good advice and bad advice, should I or shouldn't I - I finally pulled the trigger and Tillie will be getting a new transmission. Well, not exactly new, but the same as, just about. After going through two more mechanics we finally ended up at Eagle Transmission (highly recommended and BBB A+ rating), to get the torque converter clutch solenoid replaced, whatever that is. That's what the diagnostic probes have yelped about all along, and I guess they were telling the truth. So, I left the car with Eagle this afternoon, and the man called me back this evening with the findings. That part definitely has to be replaced, and here's the rub. It's buried deep in the transmission itself, and to get at it, the transmission has to be removed from the car and torn down, basically. The man said that if we're going to do that, the best thing to do is request his company's rebuild package. They take the tranny apart, inspect and clean each part, replace whatever needs to be replaced, change the filter and fluid, and put it all back together and put it back in the car. Or, they can do a piece-meal job, just tear it all down, get to the solenoid, replace it and put it all back. Difference in price? About $10 more for the rebuild, because it's a company package deal, and I get a two year or 12k mile guarantee. I asked about just putting in a new tranny. About $1200 more or so. Well, I'm pretty tired of this whole drama, so I told him to do their rebuild package. I'll get the car back next week. So, I'm car-less for now, but that's okay. Maybe I'll scrub the garage floor while Tillie's gone, like Aunt Bee wanted to scrub the floors in Mr. Darling's cabin while the furniture was out.

I took Uber rides to go back to the skin cancer doc today. There's still a problem with the way the original repair has healed, after they got all the cancer out. It looks fine at first glance, but it has healed with a little "pocket" that's hidden in the scar, and it shouldn't be there. It just looks like a wrinkle, among other wrinkles, but it still shouldn't be there. So, in two or three weeks, I'll go back and they'll do a little revision on it, and make it look better. Will make me feel better, too!

Uber is really cool. So easy, just a couple of taps on my phone, and a car pulls up in my driveway! No money ever changes hands, it's all done electronically, and the drivers so far have been great! Nice cars, friendly guys, very polite and kind, prompt, and good drivers. The longest wait time has been five minutes, from the confirming tap on my phone until they drive up. It's a long way from the up-to-an-hour wait for a cab, with a surly driver, a stinky car, and the ones that won't accept a tiny dog, even though she's inside a carrier. I told my driver today about the cab driver at the airport that wouldn't let me in his cab, with Sugarplum in a carrier, one time. He told me a dog was "a filthy animal, cannot get in my car!" The driver just laughed, and said that Uber's policy is that pets will be accepted, unless they exhibit aggressiveness. I probably won't ever take Toye Starr with me in a Uber car, but it's nice to know I can if I need to. Anyway, so far, Uber gets five stars from me.

Well, guess I'll go cuddle my "filthy" little dog, and then toddle off to bed. Blessings, friends. --RomeenaFebruary 08, 2018 - Msg 109188:
We are back home. Thank you for the prayers on our behalf. It was good memorial service..there was a lightness about it and a sense of celebration that evening. We stayed in the home of one of Bruce's cousins, Mike and his wife Pat, who is a nurse, also. Mike is a captain for Southwest Airlines and has been flying international flights for years ..he is Bruce's age. He had some good stories and beautiful photos he shared with us of places he frequents in Europe. We had a nice time and I think it helped Mike to have us there. We were the only family there and we stayed up late while Mike shared memories of his Dad and I think it was good for him to talk.

We left the next morning for a roadtrip, stopping in little towns and visiting some antique shops, etc. I have to tell you, I thought it would be a challenge finding food, since I went vegan, but I did cheat a little by eating more fat than usual but really enjoyed eating a variety of foods that didn't contain meat. We ate at a steakhouse yesterday evening that had an incredible salad bar and I was able to load up with so many greens and vegetables. They even served whole wheat rolls and a wonderful black bean soup. Talk about good eating. Wow. For lunch today on our way home we stopped at a neat really authentic Mexican food place in a small town and they had the food buffet style. They had several of the traditional caldos (soups) and even menudo (which I didn't try. Ick). I ate rice and beans and those refried beans were the best I ever had. This place was the real deal...just a hole in the wall, with really good, authentic TexMex food. They even had a fruit bar with the salt/paprika blend they serve on fruit. Good eating! But, alas, I am back home now and have to be more careful about what I eat. Oh well...

Romeena, the bed we slept on Tuesday night was a memory foam, like you have and boy, did I love it. Bruce liked it, too, so I think a memory foam is in my future.

Well, next weekend, we become the owners of a new family member. He is black and has a pink nose and little pink feet and his name is Leroy. Can you guess what he might be? The first to guess correctly wins a lemon phosphate from the diner.

February 09, 2018 - Msg 109190:PH, (/b)thanks for the info on the rat question. That "memory book" of yours really comes in handy. My trap is still set in the garage, but it's not been disturbed at all, is still baited, and I don't see any evidence of further rat activity. This morning, however, I did see a big, fat, smug-looking cat strolling around in the yard, and for once, I didn't turn a sprinkler zone on and send him home wet. He just may be responsible for the apparent disappearance of the rat. I guess we'll see. While Tillie is gone from the garage, I've put a few pieces of dog food kibble on the floor out there. In the past, when I knew there was a rat, kibble would disappear overnight, so I'm going to use it as a test for the next few days. I'll be quite happy if the rat has either been a cat's lunch, or moved on. Either way is fine with me. --RomeenaFebruary 09, 2018 - Msg 109191:
??? There. --RomeenaFebruary 09, 2018 - Msg 109192:
What?? A double cancel should have done it. Trying again ..... --RomeenaFebruary 09, 2018 - Msg 109193:
There, that did it. --RomeenaFebruary 09, 2018 - Msg 109194:
Romeena, hope the new part for Tillie does the job. Did you have Wallie take a look at her.
Never have tried Uber before, good to hear it is a easy way to get from here to there.
MDC, I have a stationary bike also. When we have nice weather I try to get out on my cruiser bike.
Boo, happy to hear you will have a new family member coming Leroy. Sounds cute.
Bill, I like all the shows!
FrankieFebruary 09, 2018 - Msg 109195:
Good Friday morning all.
Whew, what a week it has been. The contractors are almost halfway done with the water main replacement. They have had to go pretty slow with the excavating because of all of the buried lines in the area. Yesterday I had to go lean on an Operations supervisor who was yakking about how slow they were going and how back in the day when he worked construction they could do the same job in days, not weeks. I had to tell him that the reason it was going so slow was because of the extra caution being used to avoid damaging underground lines. He said there was nothing out there, so I took him out and showed him a half dozen conduits, drains, and gas lines they had dug around. I also told him not more than a foot away from the trench they were digging was an 8" fire line. I had to ask him to please shut his pie hole and quit getting the troops so fired up. That these guys were going as fast as they could under very difficult circumstances. Boy, These arm chair construction experts are a piece of work. They haven't had a shovel in their hand in 20 years or longer, but are very brilliant in their own minds on how things should be done. (felt good to vent)

Romeena, you are being rather bold in your posts I see. Sorry about the Tillie repair. But by the time you are all done she ought to pur like a kitten. As Col. Potter would say, there isn't enough O's in smooth to describe just how smooth she is. lol

Glad you got back safe Boo, and that you could be there for Mike. You are a good egg. I was gonna guess Leroy was a piggy also, but Ro beat me to it. So I'll say a pigmy goat?

All this talk of bikes by Frankie and MDC got me to thinking about my own workouts. I have been an avid runner for years, but with my back condition, I have finally had to give it up. So I have a treadmill out in the garage I use. I got it for free from work and it is a dandy. It has a huge track, extra wide and long that makes it easy to walk on. And it can go up to a 15 degree incline if you want. That will get the old heart a pumping I tell ya. So I can get a good cardio workout without beating my back. It was a pain at first, because as Frankie said, the view doesn't change. But I plug in a dvd into my portable player and the time goes by pretty good.

I hope everyone has a pleasant and safe Friday. Spring is just about here. Hip hip hooray!

Asa

February 09, 2018 - Msg 109196:
I hear ya Asa...Just because they watch HGTV they think they’re experts!...In the REAL WORLD everything doesn’t happen in a half hour episode...And if you hit a hidden line you can’t have the TV editors edit out the problem...Even Bob Vila messes up once in awhile...Amen?..Measure Twice, Cut Once!

G-F...February 09, 2018 - Msg 109197:
Good morning, porch. Cloudy and overcast here today, but only 59° right now, heading for 70°. Looks like it could rain, but I hope not, at least not until tonight. The tree trimmers didn't get to finish yesterday, will be back to do the third tree today - at least that's the plan. My poor trees look so pitiful, but in a few weeks, they'll sprout sucker limbs everywhere, leaf out and will be beautiful again. This is the third or fourth time I've done this routine with them, and it works. The trees are awful for a few weeks, then nature kicks in and they become beautiful again. No cotton flying, and in a windstorm the longer, weaker, more dangerous limbs are not a threat anymore. The owner/boss of the crew, Rumaldo, is from Ecuador, came here when he was eleven with his parents. I'm guess mid to late 50s now, good English, has his citizenship, and is a very nice guy. He has built a thriving tree service business, owns a big chipper machine and several trucks, lots of rigging and saws for the climbers to use, and he's very knowledgeable about when, where and how to cut, to accomplish a goal for the customer and still preserve the trees. He gets five stars from me. Asa, your story about the Operations guy sounds so familiar. As a nurse, I've faced very similar situations, with upper management desk jockeys making decisions that affect the bedside staff, and they have no idea of the repercussions they're causing. Small situations and large, we ran into them every day. I think I've told you about the big management plan to carpet the hallways and patient rooms, to reduce the noise from foot traffic. Never mind that staff would have been pushing beds (with patients in them) and sometimes some pretty heavy equipment over those carpets, and never mind the grunge that would accumulate in the carpets in the patient rooms. I was on the committee that was pursuing that idea, and objected from day one, but no one listened. Finally, in one meeting, I got very graphic and "used my words" so to speak, describing that grunge in vivid detail. I described cause, source, difficulty of removal (ever try to get blood, or worse, out of a carpet?) and offered a list of the infectious critters that would be proud to call such a floor their home. Miraculously, I won, and the hospital's floors are carpet free in patient areas to this day. On the smaller-case side, there was the administrator who wanted all the hand-lotion dispensers removed from the sinks where nurses would wash their hands, said with all those hands pushing that little dispenser button, it was a source of cross-contamination. Several of us got together and paid her a visit, gently pointing out that the hands pushing the button would have just been washed, were therefore presumably reasonably clean, and if cross-contamination was a concern, what about the phones, computer keyboards, and all the other buttons we pushed every day, like the coffee dispenser, call-bell base, narcotic lock-up, etc. I'm happy to say, she immediately saw our point, cancelled that order to remove the dispensers, and remarked that maybe she needed to get back on the floors for a while. She was a good executive, and we were sorry when she retired. Some will listen to you, some will not. Well, the tree guys just walked into the yard, and I need to go. They're gathered around the pond, acting worried, and I see why. The water level is down about six inches, and they're probably worried that something they dropped might have punctured the liner. It wasn't them. I noticed last week that the water level was dropping, and thought it was because the sprinklers haven't been running and natural evaporation was lowering the level. I have a little feeder line that goes directly into the pond when Zone 1 runs, and replaces the evaporated water. I just refilled the pond at the time, took about a hundred gallons or so, but now, just a week later, it's down again, and more than before. Therefore, there's a leak somewhere. That will have to be addressed, but I can't do it right now. I'll just have to refill it regularly. Seems like there's always something to take my money, my time, and my energy! Have a great day, porch buddies. I'm so glad we have each other. -- Romeena

February 09, 2018 - Msg 109198:
Holy cow! Sorry about the one huge paragraph! The censor objected to something, so I did the correction-copy-paste thing but forgot to re-paragraph it. Again, sorry for the enormous paragraph. Makes for hard reading, doesn't it? --RomeenaFebruary 09, 2018 - Msg 109199:
Knowing how much Boo loves 'em,my guess is that Leroy is either a bat or a sloth!

"Sometimes I like to see a bat! "

************
possum u.a.r.February 09, 2018 - Msg 109200:
Hi all.
I m o.k for now! but thing are not right for the Family Last Friday we has a xsis pass away and now we have two n the hosp .
PLEAS SAID A PRAYER.

Lol..Possum...GOOD ONE!...We haven’t had a good bat 🦇 discussion for quite a while!..We won’t see them in Ohio for quite a while, the little buggers don’t like the cold and snow, which we have a lot of right now....

AsaFebruary 09, 2018 - Msg 109203:
I wish Leroy was a fruit bat, Possum (you know me so well), but Romeena wins the lemon phosphate. Leroy is a mini pig who needs a home. One of Erin's friends has a sister in Houston who has a little black pig that is outgrowing his home..kind of like Romeena talked about once when she got a mini pig. Since Leroy needs a home, Erin needs a project, and we have lots of room for him and a nice safe enclosure for when we cant have our eye on him, we are going to take him. I guess he is what you would call an adolescent pig, so the first order of the day is having him neutered to prevent tusks and a really bad smell. Wish me luck.

Romeena, can I ever relate to your story. When we moved out very busy labor and delivery unit to a new hospital, the halls were carpeted (much to our horror..no one asked us). Now, anyone with any knowledge of obstetrics would know that water breaks, people bleed..sometimes alot, a common sign of end stage labor is vomiting...you get the picture. It was awful..not to mention pushing occupied beds, which werent' stretchers but big, birthing beds. We sometimes had to run with the beds to the OR when there was fetal distress and talk about tough! Carpet was just a terrible idea on so many levels, but not as bad as some of the other poor management decisions that were made by people who didnt actually work on the floor. It makes me wonder why the didnt consult with the people who did.

Well, I'm at work taking a break, but time to get back to work. Hope you all have a good evening.

BOO- so glad you had a good trip. I saw some of your FB posts about it.

Hey ALL--here is a good one... I was watching Perry Mason the other evening, and Hal Smith (Otis) was on the stand as a tire tread plaster cast expert; and in the credits at the end of the show it read "Hal Smith....Moulage Man." Really! I just cracked up! haha! Moulage man.

ROMEENA, so glad you are getting Tillie fixed. I found this video of a 2006 caddy TCC solonoid removal, so i can see why your tranny shp guy wants to just drop the tranny to do it. Ohterwise, what a mess!
Also, with a tranny that old, a rebuild is probably a good idea IMHO.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRZth9B41xwOh, and my poor ash tree looks like a skinned rat, but I know it will "spring" back nicely!)

ASA--good to hear that the the job is progressing. Hope it will be done soon.
GF, Possum and all , good to see ya. Keep warm.
Prayers
MDC